The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Prayer Requests => Topic started by: MikeBjerum on September 20, 2011, 09:07:12 PM
-
This is an overview from the event page on facebook. I will post this morning's update done on Corey's page by his sister in law
Time
Friday, October 21 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location
St Luke Church
808 E 6th St
Newton KS
Created By
Corey & Ronda Harder Benefit
More Info
Corey & Ronda live in Newton KS, with their 8 year old son Zane. They both grew up in Mountain Lake, MN. Ronda is a cosmetologist and Corey is a motorcycle/hot rod designer/builder. Zane is in the 3rd grade. In 2003 Corey was treated and recovered from a brain tumor, and in July of 2011 he was diagnosed again with a brain tumor.
This benefit is planned by family and friends of the Harders to off-set medical & living expenses as Corey has been receiving treatment.
If you have an item or service you would like to donate to the auction, contact Trish Deutschendorf at 316.288.9399.
If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, a benefit account has been set up for the Harder Family at Midland National Bank in Newton.
Donations can be made to: “Corey & Ronda Harder Benefit Account"
c/o Midland National Bank, 527 N Main St, Newton KS 67114
-
Surgery is still planned for Thursday, Sept 22nd.
We're done with Corey Harder's appointments today - had a good report with the "department of imaging physics" - they did a functional MRI and saw evidence of speech function in the right side of Corey's brain - the opposite side as the tumor. This is excellent news! This doctor also told us that he prayed for us on his drive in to work today, and prayed with us in the waiting room. God is here amoung us, and this dr says Corey will benefit greatly from surgery!!! It's good to feel good!
-
Prayers sent
-
Prayers sent
+10
-
Just sent one out.
God Bless,
Richard
-
Prayer sent.
-
Done.
-
Corey went in at 7:30 this morning (central time). At 11:30 the doctor came out to say all was going well, but they were really just getting started. Now, almost 13 hours into this I haven't heard anything new. Can't get a hold of his dad either (dad didn't go to Houston and is here at home).
Praying for all the usual, plus that no news is good news.
Thanks All!
-
Just stopped in for some lunch, and here is what I found posted by Corey's wife:
Thank you Thank you Thank you for ALL the prayers yesterday.....surgery went well....Corey can still talk and move his right hand, although it is weak and can't "use" it. We Thank God for these miracles and are still praying for another big one! Praying chemo and/or radiation can get what the surgery couldn't. Corey slept well last night and has his humor. : )
Thanks again all!
-
Here is the latest update:
I know it's lengthy but I want all my friends to read my story below and know why I ask for prayer and not happy thoughts
I sit here this morning as a emotional mess people. I walked into MD Anderson Cancer Treatment Center last week and was surrounded by Dr.'s friends and family that all preyed with us. Yes the Dr.'s came out and prayed with us. Day one was test and multiple MRI's. We sat back and watched God's miracles flow in. We were told that the MRI were like they had never seen before. Surgery was first thing the next day. Not known to everyone is that I have been dealing with a fast growing tumor which means its effects have been extensive to the right side of my body. I have some facial droop. and speech problems, but as a designer the loss of use of my right arm and hand was difficult. luckily My right leg never left me so I was always able to walk. The Tumor was swelling and wrapped around my speech area.The Dr. removed the tumor from around my speech area and most mechanical functions. When I woke from surgery I could still speech(big deal). And I was still alive after someone had scooped chunks of my brain out.Day three I met with what seemed like hundreds of Dr.s, and a couple of Physical therapists. I was given a list of excercises to do to regain strength in my right arm. The next day I had regained at least 50% of the use of my right arm, and it continues to improve. I was discharged Sunday at 11:30 and signed my own paper work and walked out of the hospital. Follow up with Dr. went well, they are trying to get me in a clinical trial to deal with what is still left. But We have three weeks of not having to deal with so much.
The biopsy showed that Corey has is a stage 4 glioblastoma tumor.
-
Update appreciated. Sounds positive in many ways but serious also. Prayers will continue.
God Bless,
Richard
-
Things continue on as well as can be expected with this nasty cancer. We have our ups and downs with each treatment. Corey is in Houston along with his mother for treatments. His wife and son are at home in Kansas, and his father is home alone up here in Minnesota. It is tough for everyone, so we all get excited about the little things.
Carol, Corey's mother and my aunt, wrote the following for her weekly column in our local paper. Auntie Carol can get a little wordy, but please stick with it and see how even a large corporation can show that it has a heart.
The big ‘EN’
I’ve come to realize that there are certain letters in the alphabet that greatly affect our lives — those letters being d, i, s, e and n. Put the first three letters (d, i, and s) in front of the word “courage,” and you hold the power to crush another person’s hopes and dreams.
However, by adding a prefix of the letters e and n, to the same word, you empower people to soar “as if on eagles wings.”
Over the course of the past couple months, I’ve learned to a new degree the power of encouragement — whether it comes from doctors, nurses, medical personnel, shuttle bus drivers, strangers, friends or family. This has come while assisting our son, Corey, through the process of receiving treatment here at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston, Texas.
With encouragement comes hope — one of the three power tools of our lives (faith, hope and love).
Upon returning from Corey’s second radiation treatment, we stopped by the receptionist’s desk and inquired about mail. When she returned with a stack of cards and letters, our feet could hardly carry us back to our little apartment quickly enough.
Ripping open each envelope, we found special messages. Words nourished our thirsty souls like raindrops falling on dry, cracked earth in the middle of a drought — filling our depleted emotional reservoirs. (A person gets lonely when you’re away from one’s home and familiar surroundings.) A whole new respect for “snail mail” was discovered by both of us. Being able to hold in our hands the thoughts, prayers and well-wishes of so many has meant the world to us.
One note in particular has held special significance. Just days prior to being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Corey had interviewed, and been offered, a position as a motorcycle designer with the Polaris Company — a dream job for him. (Polaris makes snowmobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, etc.)
However, with unknown medical challenges facing him, he had to decline their offer at the present time — discouragement and disappointment in the rawest form.
However, at a point and time in Corey’s recovery — when encouragement was paramount and needed most — a very special card accompanied by a picture arrived. It was from Greg Brew, the individual who had interviewed Corey at Polaris. A note was handwritten on Polaris stationery. The glossy, 8 x 10 photo was of the newest cycle design and soon to be released motorcycle produced by Polaris. It has been named the “Core.”
There are not words to define the importance, impact and profound blessings of Mr. Brew and the entire Polaris Corporation’s actions. They truly understood the heart of our son and knew exactly how to bring the best kind of encouragement. Call it “motorcycle magic” if you want, I call it a “miracle.” After all, isn’t that what a miracle is — the perfect answer at just the right time!
Of course, there have been the countless e-mails and phone calls. How could we ever live without cell phones? To hear familiar voices and be able to share our journey here in Houston has meant everything. Those conversations encouraging us throughout each day have been priceless.
So, in the end, the question remains: What do we do with the simple prefix, “dis” or “en?” It is really up to each and every one of us. We can cause disappointment, disgust, dismay, or discouragement. Or we can employ the big “EN” and be “ENthusiastic ENcouragers!”
A world full of the latter would be a world full of wonder!
Carol may be reached at carolh@mtlakenews.com
Red highlight added by me to direct you to the good stuff.
-
m58, again, thanks for the update! Reading the note from Auntie Carol I have to say it is WONDERFUL and not wordy at all!!!!!!!
JMHO
God Bless.
Richard
-
Continued prayers!
-
Hard to believe except for the belief in God's power and what He can do, but Corey is still with us. He is bed ridden, and has been for quite some time. He only has use of his left hand (he is right handed), and he admittedly has learned the meaning of humble as other must do everything for him.
Earlier I posted what his mother wrote about him and his Polaris job offer that was in the column she writes for the newspaper. Last week another job offer came in - Harley Davidson offered him a position of lead 3D concept designer. Imagine the combination of honor and pain as he received the offer and then dictated to his wife the regrets and reason.
Continued prayers are appreciated!
-
Never stopped!
God Bless,
Richard